Loki of Knowhere
by Star Spangled Lady
Summary: What happened when Loki let go of the Bifrost? Where did he fall and how did he end up making a deal with The Other? This is the story of a brief time between when he was Loki of Asgard and Loki of Jotunheim when he fell in love, made one powerful new ally and was forced to become one to another.
1. Chapter 1

**ASGARD**

"No, Loki."

Two words, said with such finality that Loki knew in his heart that they were meant not just as an admonishment of his desperate acts, but as an indictment of all his hopes and desires. They were an affront to his entire existence.

So he let go. It was an act of defiance more than the act of suicidal hopelessness he knew that his idiot brother and the rest of the Aesir would see it as. He knew, as Odin did staring down at him with a cold look in his one all-seeing eye, that the void was not as empty and black as it appeared. No, Loki let go and felt at last liberated from the bonds that had kept him too long loyal to Asgard and Thor. Wherever he fell, Loki would finally be free.

**KNOWHERE**

"Come on, you ridiculous little thing, move!" Loki screamed with joy at the small creature racing around the table as he again won the bet, earning dirty looks from the others around him. He laughed to himself, and made sure to appear smug as he collected his winnings. In a rough place like this, he would be a fool to show weakness by trying to appear humble. If any of the myriad strange and intimidating looking creatures choosing to gamble in this sleazy establishment desired to fight him he would do so with glee. Fighting, drinking, and causing mischief had become his life's mission now and he meant to take them seriously. Let any of them come at him and he would ensure that he splattered their brains into the floor with a grin.

When Loki fell from Asgard, he fell too from responsibility. He fell from duty and loyalty and a desire to prove anything to anyone. He would do what pleased him. And he would cower before no one.

He could still remember the first time he had realized that there were other realms outside of the nine that existed outside of Heimdall's gaze and Odin's rule. It had been terrifying because it had been so completely unexpected and accidental. It was the result of a misstep as a child that plummeted him through an unseen hole in Yggdrasil's roots while he was exploring its many winding branches. He had gotten into a great deal of trouble before his father had finally come and collected him. His father had then explained to him the nature of the universe outside of the nine realms. It had astonished Loki that this fact was not chronicled in any of their history books and had been in none of his lessons as a boy. Loki had protested that Asgard should not limit itself only to dealings with the nine realms. In response, Odin had told him in no uncertain terms that the wider universe was none of Asgard's concern and was not safe. It was one of Loki's first tastes of his father's lies, of the ways in which Odin loved to disparage him and his imagination.

The second time, after the fall, he had been more prepared. He was no longer a scared, timid child. He had awoken naked, his Asgardian armour stolen by Ravagers who had left him for dead on a barren moon. Insulted that a former prince would be treated as such, Loki had used his magic to summon new armour, and immediately set about hunting down the pirates. He had found them still carousing nearby and unleashed the well hidden Casket of Ancient Winters on them. After he had frozen them solid, he had felt no guilt about smashing at them with the butt of their own guns. Soon they were all nothing more than red-tinted ice crystals melting in the controlled heat of the ship. He'd stolen their vessel and had been travelling for some time. It was a lack of credits to make purchases with which had finally driven him to Knowhere. Now that he had corrected his currency problem, he set about thoroughly enjoying himself.

He placed another bet with the enormous gray beast working the table. and as he did he could not help but notice a woman staring at the crowd with intensity to his left. The woman was one of the more interesting creatures in the room. He found himself drawn to her pale, blue skin. She had a smooth head and a patchwork assortment of metal attached to her face and body. Most intriguingly, her eyes shone with the brightest blue he had ever seen. This was a damaged but resilient woman who was definitely out of place in this raucous and lowbrow environment. Loki admired her from afar. She did not seem to notice.

Loki wandered towards her. As the next race began, the noise of the crowd faded away. "You appear out of place," Loki said. "Are you looking for something?" Her eyes unnerved him.

"Yes," she said, "For you to leave me alone."

"As you wish," Loki said, throwing his hands up and sauntering away, "I'm not one to remain where I'm not wanted."

"Wait-" the woman said, and he stopped where he was. "I may have spoken too soon. Perhaps you can assist me. What do you know of this place?"

"I have not been here for long," Loki said, returning to her side. "Is it information you need? It's not exactly the thing I'm interested in giving you..." He looked her over with seduction in his eyes. "But I suppose it will have to do. For now. What do you want to know?"

Around them, Loki's pick in the race lost. A pity. But he'd found something much more intriguing to occupy his attention.

"There is a man here who stole something he shouldn't have," the woman said. "I need to get it back."

"You'll have to be more detailed than that," Loki said. "And if I'm to trust you, you'll have to tell me your name."

She looked at him for a moment, and he felt as though her gaze was piercing his soul. "Nebula," she said finally.

"That's a beautiful name," said Loki. "I am Loki of..." he paused, catching himself and feeling a sting of pain as he realized he didn't know how to complete the sentence. "...well, of Knowhere I suppose," he finished.

"Loki," she said, and the way she said his name sounded like a revelation to the man. "We shouldn't talk here," she said and led him away from the casino.

Once they were in a quieter pathway, they walked alongside one another and Nebula began to tell Loki her story. "There is an Aakon woman. She is young, only 62 years old, and she was taken from her home by Kree soldiers, followers of Ronan, during one of his raids on her homeworld. She was brought here. Her husband is looking for her. I have to find her."

This story did not surprise Loki. He had heard of Ronan the Accuser and had seen firsthand the brutality of the Kree. The Aakon woman was lucky. Ronan was not one who often let anyone live to be a warprize. Yet, something about the situation had been left unspoken.

"Why?" Loki asked.

Nebula looked at him, puzzled. "I don't understand."

"Why do you have to find her?" he asked again. "She is not your wife."

"Because he asked me to," Nebula said, and Loki could see her turning the idea around in her mind. He had a feeling if he asked any further questions, it would only continue to confuse both of them.

"I don't recall seeing any Aakons so far in my time here," said Loki. "Although the Kree tend to congregate near the Celestial's left eye. It's further from some of the seedier elements of Knowhere. We could search there. The Kree don't usually wish to mingle with the other races since they find them offensive. Although, I'd be willing to bet that because of that the Aakon woman was not taken by the Kree for their own pleasure. We might also check the slave markets. There are several."

"We will start with the slave markets then. Let's go," she said, quickening her pace.

Loki did not move to follow her. "Well?" she asked. "Lead the way," she demanded.

"I don't think so," he said, looking at his fingernails and doing his best to appear bored.

"You said that you would assist me," she said.

"I also said that it was not my primary reason for talking to you," he said. "I will show you to the slave markets later, but first have a drink with me." Loki said. He walked towards her. "Let go for a moment, Nebula." He put his hands on her shoulders and could feel the tenseness in her muscles and the stiffness of her posture. He had a sudden vision of those same muscles relaxing and undulating in passion underneath him, and a shiver ran through him. He wanted this woman. She was a mystery he needed to unravel.

"I can't," said Nebula, yanking both his hands off of her and stepping back. "I told you."

"Because of some Aakon man's wife? She's most likely dead already anyway! What do you care?" Loki snapped.

"I-" Nebula looked confused again, but before she could reply her head turned sharply in the direction of a man calling her name.

"Nebula! What are you doing?" the man yelled in an angry voice, marching towards them. He was enormous and as red as the fires of Muspelheim in colour. He had yellow eyes, sharp fangs and a patch of spiky black hair jutting out from his chin.

"And who, exactly, are you?" Loki asked.

"None of your business, runt," said the man.

At this, Loki drew himself up to his full height, which was still only put him just past the man's waist, and stepped in close. He had to tilt his chin at an uncomfortable angle to meet the man's eyes. "I would watch how you speak to me, friend," he said, "and how you speak to the woman if you know what's good for you."

Out of his coat the man pulled an ornate knife with a carved handle, it's blade sharp and shining. He held it to Loki's throat. The thing that most drew Loki's gaze was the shining stone embedded in the knife's handle. It was blue. Bright, electric blue. Like the intensity of Nebula's gaze. Loki found himself drawn to it like a moth to a flame.

The man grinned down at him, a flash of yellow teeth accompanied by a fetid odour that almost forced Loki back. "I will speak to the woman anyway I please. She belongs to me." He pulled away and Loki stood in place, feeling strangely empty.

"Come with me," the man barked at Nebula. "Don't waste your time on this pitiful creature." The man looked Loki over as though he were nothing. Nebula followed the man, while Loki stood confused. As the pair left, Nebula looked at Loki over her shoulder and he swore he could see a plea in her eyes.

Loki knew, then, that he would have her. And he would make the man, whoever he was, pay in blood for his insults. Oh yes. His time on Knowhere just got interesting.


	2. Chapter 2

Loki paced up and down the length of the cramped ship, like a rat trapped in a cage. He was frustrated, which was a feeling he was well used to. But he was also confused, which he didn't like. His encounter with Nebula and the Aakon man bothered him. Something about the entire thing was unsettling, but Loki couldn't quite place his finger on why.

The stone. That shining blue stone on the end of the Aakon man's knife. Loki felt like he should know it, like it was important. Had he seen it somewhere before? Read about it in a book? What was it's power that he had felt so drawn to it, and to Nebula? The two things had to be connected.

He knew where Nebula would go next. It was obvious. He had told Nebula that the kidnapped woman she and her partner sought might be found in the slave markets and so they would go there to search for her. If he were someone else, his former brother for example, he knew he would be so simple-minded as to leave right away and confront them. But Loki hadn't gotten as far as he had by acting without thinking, and he had no intention of allowing a woman to cloud his judgment. He needed more information first. He needed to know what he was getting himself involved in and, more importantly, whether or not it was worth the trouble. Not that he didn't love a little trouble sometimes. He was, after all, the God of Mischief.

Loki needed answers. And on Knowhere, in fact in the entire universe that Loki had seen so far, there was one person who might be able to provide them.

**THE COLLECTOR'S EXHIBIT HALL**

"I'm always struck by what you've done with the place, Tivan," said Loki as he wandered among the Collector's many artifacts. He lingered a moment observing a glass jar in which an enormous eye was suspended in liquid. He took a step back when the eye blinked at him, suddenly wary of its gaze.

From the collection, Taneleer Tivan stepped forward, his white fur coat dragging behind him. "Does it make you uncomfortable?" he asked, gesturing to the eye. "It should. It has a sight beyond anything you can imagine. I wonder what it sees in you."

"Well," said Loki, "thankfully it has no accompanying mouth to speak for it and so I suppose we'll never know."

"Why are you here, little trickster?" asked the Collector. "Do you have another item to sell me? I so enjoy your Casket. I hope you are not here for it back. I do not offer refunds."

"No," said Loki, "You can keep the Casket. I have no sentiment towards it or what it represents. I am here hoping you can enlighten me about the nature of another item."

"Oh?" asked the Collector. "Perhaps you misunderstood the point of this place, then. I am not some museum curator displaying all this for the knowledge and pleasure of others, Godling. If you would like information, try a library."

"Ah," said Loki, "but I know why you do this, Tivan. You are a Collector. It is an obsession. And I have a feeling that this particular object may prove to be of interest to you, should I be able to retrieve it."

"Is that so?" The eccentric and unreadable man stared at Loki for a moment. Loki found himself overwhelmed by the years he could see in the man's eyes. He was uncertain of this man's origin or power, but from the moment he'd met him it had been clear that he was not someone to mess with. And Loki didn't intend to.

"It is," said Loki. "It's here on Knowhere currently, and powerful. But that is all I know about it at this point. I need more than that if I'm to steal it from its current owner."

"If all you know is that it is here and powerful, that hardly narrows it down for me," said the Collector.

"Right," said Loki, "I can do this though." Loki held out his hands and drew upon his magic, and in front of them appeared a projection from Loki's own memories. The two of them examined the image that the magic produced of the Aakon man's ornate knife. Loki watched as the man in front of him circled the projection, taking it in. His body language changed, and Loki could see that he was growing excited and anxious.

"You think you can retrieve that?" the man asked.

"I believe so," said Loki. "An Aakon man currently has it. He's large, but I'm certainly faster and cleverer. What is it?"

"Oh," said the Collector clutching his chest, an intense look of pleasure coming across his face. "That..." he said, "that is something I am indeed interested in."

Loki scowled. "I knew that already. You're interested in everything. That's sort of the point of your existence, isn't it?" He gestured to the exhibits around him. "I need details, Tivan. I won't risk my life for some trinket without knowing why."

"It is an infinity stone," said the Collector.

"Truly?" asked Loki, surprised. "I thought those were mere legend."

"There is no such thing," said the Collector. "Most objects of legend are based in fact. And the infinity stones are quite real, I can assure you. And to see one... oh what a glorious thought! I cannot bear it. I must have it."

Loki had heard of the infinity stones. They were the subject of stories he had heard as a child that were well-told in Asgard. The story of those who tried to wield the infinity stones and failed was a cautionary tale. It warned against any one person wielding too much power and what happens to those who desire it.

Loki had always hated those stories. He always reasoned that if the stones existed to begin with than someone must have once been powerful enough to wield them properly. He never understood why was that such a bad thing. No, the moral Loki took from those stories was that only select people are worthy enough to wield real power and that those who aren't will burn and deserve it. He always imagined that if the stones were real that he would be able to wield one successfully and that he would use it for the glory of Asgard.

Now, though, the thought made him pause. He had tried to rule Asgard, had tried to wield the power of Odin and it had burned him, in keeping with the moral of the story that he never learned. And the stones were most certainly more powerful than that, as ancient and legendary as they were. If the stones were real, could he wield one? Could anyone?

His self-doubt lasted for only a moment before it passed, and he realized what he could do with that stone. What he could have with that stone. And if the Aakon man was able to wield it, perhaps their risk was overstated.

"If this thing is, as you say, an infinity stone," said Loki, "I am hesitant to risk so much for it, Tivan, or to simply hand it over to you once I have it. There are few men in existence who would willingly give up that much power. You will have to make it worth my while."

"Four billion units," the Collector offered.

Loki's eyebrow raised at the figure. It was enormous. Enough to almost buy a person as much power as the stone would grant, and a greater guarantee of future freedom and happiness. Besides, power for its own sake was something Loki had given up chasing when he let go of everything else.

"That will do it," he said, smiling.

Now, he thought, he had a woman and an infinity stone to steal.


End file.
